The weekend is here! Let’s start it off with the Top 10 List. Grab a cool drink, sit back, and enjoy.

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The first thing I do when I wake up is turn on the Today Show. I listen while I get ready for work. The biggest news story this morning left me speechless. While trying to understand why such things happen I decided to find something inspirational regarding life and the struggles we all face from time to time. Click here for 40 Lessons for Finding Strength in Hard Times. Pass it along to others.

Have you ever come across a cool shirt only to find that it was too big? I find the most interesting men’s graphic tshirts. I can do simple alterations, but I just may have to try this one.

Fellow crafters, do you follow Amy Anderson (@modpodgerocks) on Twitter? Today she shared this project. It doesn’t get any easier than this. I’m adding this to my list of things to do this weekend. Check out Amy’s blog for more inspiration.

Lisa, CEO of Evolution Revolution, has a love for vintage clothing that was passed along from her grandmother. Her mission embraces recycling clothing as a supporter of the Eco-chic movement. She can match you with both contemporary and Vintage Designer goods. Her blog is full of inspiration through music, must haves, styling tips, and so much more.

Have you heard of these two talented musicians, Jack Conte and Nataly Dawn? Together they are Pomplamoose. I would love to see them live someday.

Are you up for a DIY project this weekend? Create your own mushrooms for the garden. Everyday items that you can pick up at your local thrift store. I’ve also heard people state that they use the E6000 Adhesive.

I have yet to try a glaze recipe for sugar cookies. I usually cheat and buy the frosting from the store and add food coloring (please don’t tell). It is Christmas in July, right? A good reason to pull out the cookie cutters. Perhaps we’ll get a break from the heat and I can turn the oven on.

FREE eBook courtesy of Meylah. Perfecting Your Product Photography. I found it useful.

I’m extremely excitedyet overly tired. Honestly, I could fall asleep within 30 seconds of hitting the pillow. First I want to share an update regarding the Smash Books. If your new to the blog, *thanks* for visiting. Also, read here for the history behind this awesome handmade project.

I’ve got three piles of cutouts ready to go. Huge piles. I surprised myself at how much I’ve collected for this. Every page in the book isn’t going to be the exact same size. Why? Because I hate to measure and I don’t want to take the time to cut again. I’ve spent enough time with the scissors for the prep work. And it doesn’t matter if they match. I’ve got an idea to make each page fit within the book. It was inspired by a child’s toy that I saw in the store. I’ll share more when I approach that step.

I also kept the odd pieces from each box that I broke down. Not sure where they will fit in, but I couldn’t throw them away.

That’s all folks. Girl needs sleep. Check back tomorrow for Friday’s Top 10 List (I’ve made new connections and found some goodies from around the web). On Saturday I’ll show you what supplies I’ve gathered to place in the books. Everyday oddities that are inexpensive yet creative.

The storm clouds look fierce today. It rained briefly this morning, but we so desperately need more. Plans for the weekend? I’ll be working in my studio. I have several DIY projects piling up on my table that need attention. The smash books are moving along and I’ve got a lot of photos to edit. AND, I’ll be adding some Christmas in July items to my vintage Etsy shop.

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How cool are these? You can eat the candy buttons. They would also add a nice touch of color to any room when placed in a bowl. *Creative Etsy Artist*

The fourth customer (yes, I’m counting) just walked in the door with this shirt on. Their website is full of unique merchandise which helps children overcome poverty, violence, and illness. And they cater to Crazy Dog Mom’s such as myself.

Have you ever come across a radio show and thought, Who writes this stuff? When I’m not spinning my classic vinyl I’m listening to the Sixx Sense show. The topics are wild, funny, and informative. When we listen to radio, no visuals are included. But I guarantee after listening you’ll create your own visuals. Their crew does a good job of finding what’s new in music (rock) along with playing the Classics. They’ll keep you tuned in and coming back for more. I recently connected with Kyle Chrise via Twitter. He’s a writer/producer for the radio show. He’s also a stand-up comic, and the bassist for the indie rock band The Teenage Prayers. Their music is available on iTunes and look for a new release later this year. I LOVE to discover new music!

I will turn 40 is less than two months (it’s getting easier to say). To celebrate I “might” get my first dose of ink. What subject? Photography of course!. Maybe a piece of film? Now to find the body part that is the least painful area to drag a needle over. Suggestions?

People often ask me where I get my digital prints developed. I use Walgreens a lot. For two main reasons:
1. They are local, roughly two miles from my house, and open 24 hours.
2. They offer online specials all the time. Free 8×10 prints cover the walls of my house.
{Okay, perhaps that’s four reasons}

And for professional digital prints I use Miller’s Professional Imaging. When I want to go above the 8×10 format size I use the professional lab. They ship fast and orders over $10. ship free. I have awesome 16×20 prints of my photography in my living room.

When I go back to using film I’ll need a resource for developing the rolls. So, if you have one that is within an hour of travel time from my location please leave me a comment below. I reside in the middle of the Tri-State area (IL-WI-IA).

Creative way to use pipe cleaners when adding the tag to a gift. I will be trying this. Personalize the package by using the recipients favorite color or coordinate for the holiday.

Today is the first day of July. And there’s no better time than to start those handmade Christmas projects than now. I’m trying very hard not to wait until the last minute with gifts this year. I have two nieces and four nephews who will love these smash books.

I’m going to post updates as the project progresses all the way up till their completion. I invite you to create one along with me. Give one as a gift or a keepsake for yourself.

There is a few things that I would like to say before we get started.

First, if you Google smash books you will get a wide variety of options to look at. There are several ways to create one. Some may call them a scrapbook or a journal. I like Smash Book. I’m sharing my ideas with you for inspiration. There is no wrong way to make one. Let your imagination flow. I’ve seen some that focus on one particular subject or event. My creations are going to be collection of photos and oddities that my nieces and nephews will enjoy. They will all be signed and dated. As I type this I’m envisioning in my head that this may turn into a yearly gift from their Aunt Jennifer.

We are living in a world full of technology. Agree? It’s nice to have something tangible to track your footprint. Are you with me?

Second, I’m not promoting any of the product boxes that you see in this post. I’m recycling everyday products that we all have in our homes.

Let the creativity begin!

The core of this project revolves around recycling. I’ve been collecting and saving all sorts of boxes for quite some time. Cereal, crackers, Mac & Cheese, fruit snacks, etc. If I can find a way to reuse something I’m happy. Another bonus is your production costs is low.

The Secret Life of Bees. Have you seen it? I’ll be watching this tonight while I start this project. Perhaps I’ll order a pizza also. Too hot to cook and I don’t dare turn the oven on.

The beginning is the most time consuming part. If you own a large industrial paper cutter than you can breeze through the prep work. I only use my paper cuter for cardstock, so using a pair of scissors will get the job done.

I’m taking all of the boxes and cutting off the sides, top, and bottom. Those will get set aside for use later. The front and back will be used for the base pages of the books.

I’m taking all of the cereal boxes and cutting them in half. This will be the general size of the pages for each book. Do I measure each page to make sure they are even? No. Once you get to know me, you’ll find that I don’t measure anything. To eyeball it works just fine for me. I have some ideas for combining various sizes in the same book. I’ll share that later when I get to it.

That’s all for now. A Sunday evening with a movie, pizza, and a pair of scissors. My next update will come when I’m all done cutting. I have six books to make so I want to get the most gruesome part done all at once.

If I can inspire you to make one, you are awesome! If your here to read along, you are awesome! My muse sings a river of ideas to me daily. And if I can create something interesting and inexpensive, then I want to share it with you.

I would love to hear (see) from you if your participating in this project. Leave me a comment below. You can also communicate through my Eightymillion page on Facebook.